Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour was a feat few artists could imagine. Spanning 632 days from March 2023 to December 2024, the tour included 149 shows across five continents and became the highest-grossing tour in history. Behind the glittering performances, Swift relied on an intense and meticulously planned exercise routine to sustain the stamina required for her marathon three-and-a-half-hour concerts.

Preparing for a Physical Marathon

Before the tour began, Swift recognized the physical challenge she was about to face. “I never would’ve believed you if you told me we were doing a three-and-a-half-hour show. Saying it is one thing, doing it is another,” she admitted in the Disney+ docuseries The End of an Era. For comparison, her longest previous show had lasted just two hours and 15 minutes.

To meet these demands, Swift began training six months ahead of her first rehearsal. Her daily treadmill sessions mirrored the tempo of the songs she would perform live, with faster tracks prompting running and slower songs calling for brisk walks or light jogging. “You just don’t want them to see you panting,” she explained to TIME.

Strength and Conditioning Regimen

While cardio built endurance, strength training ensured she could perform high-energy choreography without fatigue. Under the guidance of longtime trainer Kirk Myers, Swift tackled exercises such as battle ropes, medicine ball throws, assisted pull-ups, sledgehammer workouts, leg raises, and Russian twists. Myers described her as “the most resilient person I have ever met,” highlighting her ability to persevere through challenging workouts.

Swift’s humor surfaced even during difficult exercises. “In no way do I ever apply this … at any point in the show, I just want to flag that as I do every time I have to do pull-ups. Strong dislike. Two thumbs down,” she said, referring to resistance band-assisted pull-ups. She jokingly attributed her increasing strength to “all the pent-up rage and resentment” she felt toward the moves.

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Dance Training and On-Stage Precision

Beyond the gym, Swift committed three months to dance rehearsals with choreographer Mandy Moore to ensure every move was second nature. “I wanted to be so over-rehearsed that I could be silly with the fans, and not lose my train of thought,” she shared with TIME. The precision extended to rapid costume changes, often completed in under 1 minute and 15 seconds, with the fastest taking just 39 seconds.

Swift ran an estimated eight miles per show while performing over 40 songs that spanned her musical eras. High-cardio sections, including the 1989 and Reputation sets, were particularly demanding. Yet she described the physical challenge as secondary to the personal purpose the tour provided, especially during a period marked by two breakups.

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